Egg cleaning machine



Get. 9, 1934. I D, w so 1,976,380

- EGG CLEANING MACHINE Filed Aug. 3Q, 1953 i Percgl). [Uz'llrzhson I Patented Oct. 9, .1934

rcroynwilklnson,

I Applicant August so, was, Serial No. 897,437

' s (or. 51-4193) My invention relates to egg cleaning machines, and in the form described to small machines in which an egg is manually applied to an abrasive surface.

g A freshly laid egg is quite moist, and is inclined to become soiled by contact with dirt in the nest.

Eggs are frequently dlrtied by contact with a broken egg, and the albuminous coating is extremely dimcult to remove. It has been proposed to heretofore to wash eggs, but it has been found that the moisture impairs the keeping quality of the eggs, and for that reason their market value is considerably lower than unwashed eggs.

n the other hand, eggs that have not been cleaned may not be salable at all, or at met will sell for only a fraction of their value aftercleaning. Hand methods of cleaning, either by wiping or by brushing, have been found to be slow and inefiective.

Accordingly it is an object of my invention to provide an abrasive egg cleaning machine which will quickly and thoroughly remove the dirt from eggs at small cost to the poultryman, and a machine which is inexpensive and therefore suitable to the needs of the small poultryman.

It is also an object to provide an abrasive assembly which may be easily and quickly replaced by a fresh assembly after it has been, worn down.

A further object of my invention is to provide a, machine having an abrasive action which will embrace the curved surface of an egg and clean a substantial area thereof without danger of burning the egg shell by contact in one spot, or of cracking or checking the egg shell, either by striking or cutting into it.

In the form now preferred by me my invention is embodied in an inexpensive machine for use on small poultry farms, in the operation of which the eggs are held by hand, but the principles embodied therein are readily adapted to large egg cleaning machines of the type wherein the eggs are mechanically engaged with the abrasive member.

More particularly my invention comprises the abrasive element and assembly thereof, and the method of cleaning eggs, as described in the specification, illustrated in the drawingand the novel features of which are defined in the claims 59 accompanying the specification.

Figure l is a side elevation of a complete machine.

Figure 2 is an and elevation, showing part of the abrasive assembly broken away.

Figure 3 is a section taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 1, showing the manner in which an egg may be applied to the abrasive assembly when in operation.

Figure 4.- is a second end elevation as seen from 7 w the and opposite to that shown in Figure 2.

In the present embodiment-of my invention I have shown a motor 1 driving a singleabraslve assembly, generally indicated at 2. It will be understood that a second similar assembly may be mounted at the other end of the motor so that a person may work with two hands, or so that two people may work, one at each abrasive assembly. As will be appreciated, my abrasive assembly may also be adapted for use in multiple and in conjunction with mechanical means for engaging and pressing eggs against an abrasive assembly instead of individual eggs being manually applied.

The abrasive assembly is made up of a plurality oi separate abrasive disks 20 mounted on a stub shaft 21-. These disks are preferably separated by spacing washers22 interposed between them. The disks thus separated may have parts forced into engagement with adjacent disks when an egg E is pressed thereagainst, as shown in Figure 3.

The individual disks are made of emery cloth, sandpaper or the like, being thus rather stiff, and normally have abrasive material on one side only, although disks having abrasive material on both sides may be used. For reasons which will appear hereafter I prefer to provide a plurality of incisions therein as at 23 extending inward from the circumference of the disk to form aplurality of adjacent but spaced tabs. It will be noted that while the disks are substantially continuous, lateral pressure against the periphery thereof will cause the outer slit portions to yield and be displaced from the normal plane of rotation at the point of pressure, the degree of yielding being progressive outwardly from the continuous portion of the disks which lies inwardly of the base of the slits.

Thus when an egg E is pressed against the face of the abrasive assembly, a typical position of which is shown in Figure 3, the tabs yield and embrace the curved surface of the egg. Since the slit circumferential portion of each disk is more yieldable than the mid-portion thereof, as the egg presses thereagainst not only will each individual tab yield to conform to the curvature of the shell, and the circumference of this sector increase, but the peripheral portion of the disk as a whole will depart from the normal plane of revolution as it reaches the egg and will return again to such plane after passing the egg, due to its inherent stiffness and to the centrifugal effect thereon. In this operation the individual tabs separate to some extent and as the assembly rotates, succeeding tabs engage the egg with a swiping action, and its surface is thereby quickly and thoroughly cleaned. It'will be appreciated that if the circumference of-the abrasive disks was not made more flexible than the inner portion, only a very small area of the curved surface of the egg would be touched. Furthermore, if the egg were pressed against the edges pf the disks, and nothing had been done to increase their flexibility, the disks, acting like small saws, would tend to cut'through the eggs shell. The leading edge of a tab approaching the egg is displaced before it reaches the egg by the pull of the preceding tab, in Contact with the egg, because the material below the incision 23 is somewhat displaced and transmits the displacing force to the following tab, hence it is impossible-for the leading edge of a tab to strike or cut the egg shell. Each tab merely swipes over the egg as it passes and as it embraces the 88'- In the preferred form oblique slits 23 are made in the disk which extend inward from the pe riphery in the direction of rotation, and preferably curve inward somewhat towards the center of the disk. Cuts made in this manner form tabs whose edges are somewhat aligned with the movement of the tabs over the egg, and thus their edges are less inclined to strike a sharp blow against the egg and crack. or check the shell.

While it is desirable for the circumferential portion of the disks to be quite flexible so that they will embrace the surface of the egg, it isalso desirable that a certain stiflness be given to the assembly as a whole, so that the abrasive material will have the proper cleaning effect. For this reason I prefer that the slits 23 of adjacent disks be staggered, as will be seen in Figure 2. Each tab, when deflected against an adjacent disk, will thus be supported by two tabs on such adjacent disks. and will then be less inclined to deflect further, and a good yielding pressure against the egg will result. Three or four disks will suffice, but they are usually supplied in groups of ten.

In order further to stiffen the assembly as a whole a backing washer 24 may be provided 'which is of less diameter than the disk 20 but of greater-diameter than the spacing washers 22. This backing washer is made of stifi cardboard, whereby it is also yieldable but in a lesser degree than the disks 20, so that the outer portion of the assembly will be quite yieldable and the inner portion, backed by the washer 24, will be only slightly yieldable. By such an assembly a widely distributed but firm abrasion may readily be imparted to the curved surface of an egg.

After continued use, as successive disks are worn down to a smaller diameter usually beginning at the right of Figure 3, to proportions such as shown in Figure 4, the dotted line of which represents the original size of the disks, it will be noted that the corners formed by the incisions 23 become rounded off. The periphery of each disk becomes somewhat serrated or scalloped, although the surface of-the disk still remains substantially continuous. Also as the edges of the disks become worn down, the slits 23 tend to be torn farther in towards the center, or may be so out by hand, following the same general direction as taken by the original slits. Especially do the first disks of the assembly become worn, and these may be removed and discarded from time to time. It will be appreciated that as the disk circumference decreases the backing washer 24 becomes more and more effective to prevent the marginal portions of the disk from yielding under pressure by an egg, and the assembly becomes less effective to clean the egg. To avoid the necessity of throwing the complete assembly away at this stage of wear I provide a detachrovasao able marginal portion 24' on the backing washer 24. The cardboard washer may be perforated, scored, or otherwise weakened as at 25 to facilitate the ready removal of a portion of this backing washer, thus decreasing its size in proportion to the decrease in size of the worn disks from their original diameter. A series of these scores may be made in the washer 24, but for purposes of illustration only one has been shown.

It is thus apparent from the description of my invention that an abrasive assembly, wherein the yieldableness of the substantially continuous, inherently stiff disks progressively increases towards their circumference, provides a new and more eiiicient method for cleaning the curved surface of an egg quickly and without the possibility of damaging the shell.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. An egg cleaning machine comprising a rotatable shaft, driving means therefor, and an abrasive assembly, said assembly including a plurality of abrasive disks, at least one of said disks having a plurality of slits, said slits beginning at the periphery of said disk and extending obliquely inwardly relative to a radius through the inner end of the slit and inclined rearwardly in the direction of rotation and spacing washersof lesser diameter than said disks interposed therebetween.

2. An abrasive assembly for egg cleaning machines comprising a plurality of adjacently-disposed flexible, circular abrasive disks, each dish having a plurality of slits therein about its periphery, said slits beginning at the periphery and extending obliquely inwardly relative to a radius through the inner end of the slit, and inclined rearwardly in the direction of rotation, and adjacent disks being disposed to place their respective slits in staggered relation, thereby to decrease the fiexibility of the member as a whole.

3. An abrasive assembly for egg cleaning machines comprising a plurality of adjacent, flexible, circular abrasive disks of emery cloth or like material, each centrally pierced to fit upon a rotary shaft, each disk having a plurality of slits beginning at the periphery and extending obliquely inwardly relatively to a radius through the inner end of the slit, and inclined rearwardly in the direction of rotation.

4. An abrasive assembly for egg cleaning machines comprising a plurality of adjacent, flexible, circular abrasive disks of emery cloth or like material, each centrally pierced to fit upon a rotary shaft, each disk having a plurality of slits beginning at the periphery and extending obliquely inwardly relatively to a radius through the inner end of the slit, and inclined rearwardly in the direction of rotation, and centrally disposed means to secure together a plurality of such disks, the several slits of each disk terminating at their inner ends outwardly of the securing means to leave a continuous unslit zone between the securing means and the inner ends of the several slits.

5. The method of cleaning an egg which comprises applying the egg to a radial face of a composite abrasive disk which is composed of a plurality of flexible abrasive sheets having a plurality of slits beginning at the periphery and extending obliquely inwardly relative to a radius through the inner end of the slit and inclined rearwardly in the direction of rotation, whereby a face sheet embraces a portion of the egg surface and cleans .the egg by a combined wiping and abrading action.

PERCY D. WILKINSON. 

